Instructions

ZOOM IN by clicking on the page. A slider will appear, allowing you to adjust your zoom level. Return to the original size by clicking on the page again.

MOVE the page around when zoomed in by dragging it.

ADJUST the zoom using the slider on the top right.

ZOOM OUT by clicking on the zoomed-in page.

SEARCH by entering text in the search field and click on "In This Issue" or "All Issues" to search the current issue or the archive of back issues
respectively.

PRINT by clicking on thumbnails to select pages, and then press the
print button.

SHARE this publication and page.

ROTATE PAGE allows you to turn pages 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise.Click on the page to return to the original orientation. To zoom in on a rotated page, return the page to its original orientation, zoom in, and
then rotate it again.

CONTENTS displays a table of sections with thumbnails and descriptions.

ALL PAGES displays thumbnails of every page in the issue. Click on
a page to jump.

SFLTIMES.COM | SOUTH FLORIDA TIMES | JANUARY 7 — JANUARY 13, 2016 1B Around South Florida 2B Obituaries 3B W WW.SFLTIMES.COM 954.356.9360 Prayerful Living 4B | MIAMI-DADE Miami Gardens Montessori offers renowned teaching method STAR PUPILS: Youngsters are responding well to the Montessori method of teaching. By MICHELLE HOLLINGER MHollinger@sfltimes.com MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - A child’s intro- duction to education has long term benefits; and in many cases, consequences. Samiya Spencer’s experience as a seventh and ninth grade teacher revealed to her the significance of early childhood education. The birth of her first child sent her in search of an alternative to traditional education. “When I had my daughter, I wanted something different for her,” Spencer shared. “After stumbling across Montessori, I visited a couple of schools and absolutely fell in love with it, the teaching methodology of it.” From there, she became trained in the philosophy created by Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952), an Italian physician and MIAMI-DADE Revered civil rights activist makes South Florida appearance anthropologist who devoted her life to understanding how children develop socially, intellectually, physically, and spiritually. Montessori discovered universal patterns of development which are found in all children. Spencer, her husband, Roderick, and two other investors opened Miami Gardens (MG) Montessori at 18690 NW 2 Ave. last April and currently have 60 students enrolled. A former paralegal who knew the legal profession was not for her after spending two semesters in law school, Spencer’s passion for Montessori is palpable. She’s excited about exposing young students to the method and she wants to educate the black community about why it’s ideal for their children. The 33-year old is pleased with the progress of her MG Montessori students, 90 percent of whom had never attended pre-school prior to enrolling. “We’re not where we want to be, but the amount of progress that the students have gained in the short amount of time… they’re adding and a couple of the students are moving up to multiplication,” she said of some four-year olds. Her two daughters, Morgan, 3 and Tay- lor 5, attend Montessori programs; her younger daughter at MG Montessori. “They will always be in a Montessori school,” Spencer said. Her experience as a teacher in a public charter school is one reason that she’s so sold on Montessori. “So many kids…came into my class at 9th and 7th grade with educational gaps. The preschools did not prepare them,” she explained. “We’re about exposing our kids to outside of the box.” In a Montessori program, children MONROE photo courtesy of miami Gardens montessori progress in “curriculum that allows you to advance freely, independently,” Spencer explained. “You’re not held back, as much as you can learn, you’re exposed to that.” Education is a family tradition. “My fa- ther taught for 40 years in public school before he passed away and my mother taught for 39 years. My sisters taught,” she shared. “It probably was kind of inevitable,” for her to end up in education. To help the Miami Gardens community learn more about Montessori, Spencer said, “We’re going to have our first parent town hall meeting on Jan. 11. I don’t think they fully understand Montessori,” she said. “They heard about it and understand that it’s a good curriculum. “We’re going into the history and how our kids are progressing.” For more information, please visit mgmontessori.com or call 305-974-2063. photo courtesy of florida memorial university Staff Report MIAMI-DADE - Diane Nash is an American civil rights activist, and a leader and strategist of the student wing of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. Nash's campaigns were among the most successful of the era; including the first successful civil rights campaign to integrate lunch counters (Nashville); the Freedom Riders, who desegregated interstate travel. She also co-founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC); and co-initiated the Alabama Voting Rights Project and worked on the Selma Voting Rights Movement. Nash is appearing at the Miami Dade College’s North Campus on Jan. 15 at 4 pm Key West hosts its first cemetery stroll of the new year Staff Report KEY WEST, Fla. - People interested in learning more about Los Martires de Cuba, the B’nai Zion Cemetery, family restoration, Dade Lodge plot, and Piedad Ayala can visit the gravesites of the aforementioned during the first Cemetery Stroll to be offered at the Historic Key West Cemetery. The event is scheduled for Jan. 23 and will allow small groups of visitors to be the Hulbert the escorted to gravesites where interpreters will tell the stories of the deceased in brief monologues. The groups are scheduled for departures at 9:30, 9:50, and 10:10 Reservations are necessary, and can be made by calling 305-304-1453. The 90-minute tours are sponsored by the City of Key West and the Historic Florida Keys Foundation and provide an opportunity to learn first-hand about some of the fascinating people who have given Key West its colorful and significant character. Space is limited for the tours and pre-registration is required. A donation of $10 per person to the Historic Florida Keys Foundation is recommended. Participants should wear comfortable shoes and plan to walk over a mile on uneven ground. Bottled water will be provided. Additional strolls will take place on February 20, honoring Black History Month, and March 19.